Teardrops in Summer
by BlackandWhite Masque
Summary: Two siblings find a diary up in their attic amongst other long forsaken mementos. Opening the diary, they discover the story of an old romance that took place in an old beach house near the sea as they themselves journey to a part of their past.
1. Chapter 1

Rumor Has It / A Once In A Lifetime Chance

**Teardrops in Summer**

**Chapter 1: The Diary in the Attic**

**Summary: Two siblings find a diary up in their attic amongst other long forsaken mementos. Opening the diary, they discover the story of an old romance that took place in an old beach house near the sea as they themselves journey to a part of their past.**

**Standard Disclaimer: If I owned the Naruto franchise, I wouldn't be stuck writing fanfiction now would I sunshine? Sigh, I also don't own any copyright to the story Rumor Has It.**

**Aneko: Based on the movie 'Rumor has It' featuring Jennifer Anniston except it centers on the story of her mother in the story whom I do not know the name. I just love Jen Ann so much, so I made this one although it's not her story… There are some things I changed in the story though and I do hope that you like it. LOL, this is dedicated to my new friend Miyano Ran!**

Heavy footsteps made a raucous noise as they bounded up wooden stairs. Slight panting wheezed through the air from a young woman's parted lips. She looked around the surrounding and when she had deemed it safe enough, closed the door from where she entered.

She maneuvered her way across the litter of boxes and junks strewn across the floor. She contentedly sat and laid her perspiration dotted head on a plush red velvet divan. It was her favorite part of the house especially when she was little, because a big gold framed window was directly beside it and she just loved staring out of it and looking at the neighbors doing their daily routines.

At dawn, she looked forward to seeing the sunrise through misty and crusted eyes. She would awake to the warm rays of the sun and the sound of her mother's voice calling her down to breakfast.

After eating, she would come back up with a book in hand and stare out the window until afternoon. Her mother would often try to coax her down with sweet afternoon snacks and cold beverages and it became their daily ritual, it was mom and daughter bonding time for them.

At nights when she couldn't sleep she would bravely come up the attic to bathe herself with the light emitting from the moon and stars. Sometimes, she would drag her big brother with her when she was convinced that the 'Boogie Man' was lying in wait for her in the dark corners of the room. They would bring blankets to warm themselves and awake the next day finding that they've slept there through the night.

Now that she was all grown up and moved out of the house, she would sometimes yearn for her little sanctuary place especially when she was stressed from work or when she was lonely.

She chuckled a little as she remembered the scowl her brother would wear whenever she asked him to come up with her. Nevertheless he came up with her anyway, along with some pity crying from her part and grumbling from his. He used to pretend that she wasn't her sister, and mockingly, asked her mother who 'the little girl who lived in the attic' was. This would successfully make her cry and their mother would scold him for it. Ah, sweet revenge.

Speaking of that stupid brother of hers, he had some nerve dousing her with water as they washed the dishes after eating for lunch. She doused him right back but with soapy water so it would hurt his eyes, she smirked. This of course had propelled her brother to chase her around the house. It was like hide-and-seek as they went through the numerous rooms in the mansion like house. She was getting tired anyway so she came to the one place she knew her brother would be sure to look for her, the attic.

She looked at the room she was in and blinked her eyes for a couple of minutes at the stack of boxes near the divan. She sighed and got up from her comfortable position. She approached the stacks of boxes to get started on what she came back to the house for; clean out the house for the summer, or at least so her brother says so.

She knows it was just his excuse to spend time with her, before the wedding of course. She was getting married to her wonderful fiancée in a week. He might convince everyone else but she knew he was bothered at the thought of his little sister growing up and _marrying_. She chuckled, hell, he was even more nervous than her you'd think _he_ was the one getting married!

Some strands of pink hair fell to the side of her face as she dusted the boxes with her left hand; she was left handed just like her father. She coughed a little as the dust mingled with the air and seemed to surround her. She picked one box and laid it down on the floor. She opened it to see the contents.

There was an old picture frame of her and her brother playing in the snow. The picture had been taken by their mother one cold winter Christmas. There was also a few of her mother's favorite books and a few more of her knickknacks.

A silvery glint caught her eyes as stray beams of sunlight reflected on it. She held it up and it looked like a key. It had an equally silver chain connected to the lock of a hardbound notebook. Her eyes marveled at the sight, it was pink and adorned with watercolor paintings of cherry blossoms, much like her mother's namesake. It was so cute!

She wondered what was inside, though from the lock she knew it was a diary. Only a girl would lock a diary… She wondered if it was her mother's. Fitting the key through the lock, she opened the diary right at the middle. She read the date and the description.

'_A Journey to Okinawa'_

She knew running away was never the answer, but that did not stop her from madly storming out of the mall and leaving her blonde bestfriend as they were in the midst of picking her bridal gown. You'd think she could've done this at least a month ago, along with other wedding arrangement, but she kept pushing it further saying she had to work (fat chance, she was a freelance) until it came to a boiling point with her finally realizing that there was so much to do and only two weeks to accomplish it all.

That day she called her bestfriend, Ino, after a long day of taking pictures in Tokyo for the new opening of the newest and biggest theme park in Japan, the Kino Amusement Park. Well, actually, she just took a couple of pictures of the most popular rides and then took the _liberty _of trying out the rides for the rest of the day. Either way she was beat as a bush and flopped down the covers of her soft bed.

Sakura twirled her pink hair as she asked Ino to help her the next day for the wedding preparations. She had to distance the phone from her ear as the blonde screamed her head off. Ino berated her and proceeded to scolded her like a mother, which she was probably very familiar at doing since she had been the closest female to her since Sakura's mother died. In the end, she had to reassure her that she was quite all right and wasn't suffering amnesia or Alzheimer's.

Ino conceded, much to her relief. They were going to meet tomorrow, which in the case of the current narration and point of view, today. The pink haired woman slept rather fitfully rather than peacefully that night. Sakura woke up two hours before she was supposed to in a nightmare she couldn't remember.

Ino and her had already spent hours in the mall looking at napkins and plates, flowers and tablecloths, as they passed a boutique that sold gowns. That was when she remembered that she hadn't bought a gown yet. Amidst Ino's yelling she managed to drag the blonde without any broken windows or worse, bleeding ears.

The pink haired beauty tried on five different gowns before she took a break, during which Ino recounted stories of her own marriage. Ino was happily married to Shikamaru, the Nara genius, for five years and counting.

Ino told Sakura of the time Shikamaru had proposed to her. They went to the park right after eating out in a Chinese restaurant that night. There weren't that many people left at the park and they stopped near an oak tree. Shikamaru held her hand while they stared out at the open winter night sky.

It was cold back then and when they breathed, or sighed in Shikamaru's case, a small fog of white frosty air formed. They felt very peaceful there, it had to be since Ino wasn't beating Shikamaru's ass for making her stay out in the cold. Looking back, Ino wondered why she hadn't done just that. Could she have sensed what Shikamaru wanted to say or what he was about to do?

To Ino's surprise, Shikamaru dropped down on one knee. He reached for something in his right pocket and when his hand shown, he had produced a velvet covered box. He looked at Ino seriously and opened the box. It revealed a glimmering gold ring encrusted with a princess cut diamond sitting atop blue silk.

Ino couldn't describe her joy when Shikamaru finally asked her the million dollar question. She remembered saying three yes-es and tackling her beau to the ground. She couldn't stop crying so Shikamaru had to silence with a kiss, after which he muttered something akin to _'So troublesome…'_

After hearing this romantic story from her ever romance searching friend, the pink haired woman had to think about_ her_ circumstance. Her chest suddenly felt like it tightened, as if someone was crushing her lungs and she couldn't breathe. Her heart pounded and she could feel the rhythmic pulse throughout her body.

Without thinking, she grabbed her purse and ran out of the mall. Ino shouted after her but was too dumbstruck to move. She hailed the first taxi she saw before she could even think why she was leaving. All she knew was that she had to get away. Away from the wedding gowns, away from Ino and her romance, away from anything and everything that reminded her of weddings!

Now, lying sprawled on her warm bed (again) that was in contrast with her cold countenance, she wondered if what she had done was right. Hell she didn't even know why she did what she did! All she remembered was feeling trapped after hearing Ino's story.

Her eyebrows scrunched nearer as she stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. That wasn't right. Why would she feel trapped? This silently made her wonder if she was claustrophobic but then dismissed it as a silly thought. She breathed a moan and fisted a handful of her bed covers.

She crawled up her bed to the pillows. She took a pink one and slammed it down her face then screamed.

Sakura raked her hand across her hair as she crossed to the other side of her room to the windows. The sky was blue albeit cloudless. A few stray yellow leaves fluttered in the wind along with some pieces of a newspaper.

Whatever she did, she couldn't get the heavy feeling off her mind and heart. She slumped her figure, her back against the window, as she surveyed her room with lazy bottle green eyes. Her gaze got caught on her bookcase, precisely on a pink bound notebook. Her eyes widened fractionally then she got up to get said notebook. It was her diary.

She sat on her soft bed and opened the notebook exactly where she had last written on it because there was a postcard slotted in between the pages. It showed a picture of a bunch of people enjoying the hanami while clumps of cherry blossoms floated in the air, on the front.

The back featured handwriting that was familiar to her, they had once adorned love letters and sticky notes from _that_ person.

_Sakura,_

_I'm willing to talk this out if you are… I'm spending the summer at my family's beach house in Okinawa, you know, that place where we spent the New Year… Meet me there if you're still willing to fix this… Us…_

_Uchiha Sasuke_

'_Uchiha Sasuke…'_

'_Sasuke-kun'_

She reminisced about her times in college, before she met her soon-to-be hubby, Neji. She remembered picnics on the lawn during cool spring days, running around sprinklers while laughing, and little stick-it notes on her locker.

Uchiha Sasuke had been her 'college sweetheart' if you will, although he would rather die than be called as such. She looked at the letter again; Sasuke always was straight to the point.

He had been her first love, her first real serious relationship. It was during the annual school foundation celebration that they had met. Sakura had volunteered to be a part of the organizing committee and Sasuke was a member of the school's track team. They were going to use the field as the main juncture of the whole festival where they were going to set up booths by day and the banquet by night. A few unwitting hair toss there and more clumsy mistakes here, and she had caught his attention.

Sasuke asked her out to the banquet at the night of the foundation festival, partly because he was commissioned to do so by his friends. She had agreed and they were a couple since. She had been unexpectedly happy with him, unexpectedly because she had thought that he would eventually get tired of her anyway.

The strangest thing though, she just couldn't remember why they broke up. All she remembered when she was with him was the surreal heaven that his persona seemed to exude, then next thing she knew, she was thrust into the unforgiving life of adulthood.

This was the time that she had met Neji; cool, calm, and sensible Neji. When the letter arrived into Sakura's mailbox, she had already dismissed whatever relationship she had previously had with the midnight haired man. Even the possibility of being friends after everything has mellowed down.

Perhaps it was to spite him that she refused the meeting (although technically, now, she couldn't even remember the reason) or that the break-up had ridden her desolate to seek comfort in the arms of Hyuuga Neji, all she knew now was that it seemed to rushed.

Sakura searched the postcard for an address and closed her eyes as she imprinted it in her mind. Hastily, she grabbed her white luggage shoulder bag and filled it with clothes that would last her a week and a half and other necessities. She shoved her slim red phone in her bag, desperately trying to fit everything in, after calling a cab to her flat.

When the cab arrived, she took one last item with her: her camera. Sakura ran down the stairs, outside the front door, and into the taxi cab's open door. She gave the driver the coordinates and relaxed into the hard fake leather seat.

She didn't know what things she might find out along this one week journey, which she hoped was herself and her true feelings, but Haruno Sakura wasn't as hell gonna stay put.

**Aneko: Should I continue or just leave it as a one-shot? This is a SasuSakuNeji by the way, with hints of other pairings.**


	2. A Candlelit Dinner By The Beach

* * *

Teardrops in Summer

**Teardrops in Summer**

**Chapter 2: A Candlelit Dinner By The Beach**

**Summary: Two siblings find a diary up in their attic amongst other long forsaken mementos. Opening the diary, they discover the story of an old romance that took place in an old beach house near the sea as they themselves journey to a part of their past.**

**Standard Disclaimer: If I owned the Naruto franchise, I wouldn't be stuck writing fanfiction now would I sunshine?**

**--**

* * *

Aneko: Okay, okay. I am so sorry… I really was planning on continuing this fic, I just labored on everything too much, haha… I was just teasing you guys to review!... Please don't kill me –whimpers-

Sasuke: Don't worry, Aneko WILL continue this fic…

Itachi: You're just saying that so you can get it on with that pink haired cutie… Foolish ototou.

Sasuke: –blush- Shut up, I so do not!

Itachi: -smirk- Is that so? Then you wouldn't mind me asking her out tonight? I'm planning on taking her to a restaurant, some sight seeing, then maybe we can go back to my room an—

Sakura: Eeep!

Sasuke: -Sharingan on- Don't you dare!!

Itachi: -flicks on forehead- Got you, foolish little brother…

Sasuke –blushes even more- …I hate you…

Ahaha, I so swear that this is the last time that I will be using dialogues! I just couldn't put anything to say, lol. Besides, I just lurv Itachi, he's a good big brother.

--

* * *

With the pink diary still in reach, pale hands shifted through the box where she found the diary. Rummaging around, she found what she was looking for. Sure slender digits held a black device… It was a camera; its lens had a slight crack at the upper left side.

"_Mommy, mommy!" a little girl the age of eight was wearing an orange swimsuit, water dripping from the ends of her hair._

_A pink haired woman ran to her daughter, abandoning the meal she left cooking in the kitchen. She was wearing a blue housedress with a white apron that said 'Kiss the Cook.'_

"_What is it honey?" Sakura crouched down to hold the girl who shared the same color of hair as hers._

"_Shinobu-niichan pushed me out of the pool."_

_Sakura looked at the little girl sobbing on her apron. She smiled a little as she cradled the young one's head. Her two children always fought but she knew that they cared for one another, even if the older one doesn't always show it._

_Sakura comforted the girl through her soothing voice. She convinced the little girl to come outside with her to her big brother, Shinobu. When they reached the front yard, they saw a black haired little boy at least three years older than the little girl holding on to her mother. He was lounging on the cutesy plastic inflatable pool, both his arms hung out the sides._

"_Shinobu, what's this I hear that you pushed your little sister out the pool." Sakura said with motherly reprimanding._

_The boy lifted one eyelid open, took one look at the sobbing girl latched to his mother, and then scowled. He took the earphones on his ears and sat up straight on the pool._

"_It was too crowded." He put it as simply as if it was common fact (Which it was). Sakura sighed, just like her son to give an answer so obvious like that._

"_That may be so, but that still doesn't give you a reason to push little Suki out. Now apologize please, for your kaa-chan?"_

_The boy quietly stood out the pool and approached her little sister. She crouched down so he could be face to face with her. He smirked a little and poked her on her forehead._

"_Sorry, Suki-chan."_

_The little girl's sobbing eventually stopped as she launched herself on her brother, cheering._

_They hadn't known it back then, but their mother secretly took a picture of the two of them._

--

* * *

Sitting on a cab, Sakura took in the sight of Okinawa. She put her head outside the window to breath in the warm breeze coming from the sea. She could smell the discrete smell of the sun on white sand and heard the laughs of the people enjoying themselves in the beach.

As she settled herself on the seat, a new band of worries plagued her. What if Sasuke's already sold the beach house? Or what if Sasuke was too mad at her and didn't let her in? That would be so embarrassing… Wait, she wasn't even sure if Sasuke was there or not.

She groaned and slammed her hand on her forehead… So much for thinking things through. As the taxi bounded up the curve, Sakura could see the tip of Sasuke's white paneled beach house. Nostalgia seemed to creep in her as she remembered the time she spent there.

The taxi cab reached its destination so Sakura took her bag and exited the cab. Dust clouds crowded her feet as the cab sped off. Sakura gripped the handle of her bag and sucked up air into her lungs. This was it; she was only doing this for the sense of adventure, just like those highschool horror dares.

Slowly, she stepped up the stairs and into the front porch. She dropped her bag on the wooden floor and looked at her wristwatch; it was nine in the morning. Her heart pounded in sync with the beat of her knocking on the door. She waited a few seconds to see if anyone would answer the door. The cicadas resting on the trees and grass around her made a soft shrill sound.

When no one opened the door, Sakura noticed a doorbell. She stuck her tongue out and slapped herself upside the head lightly. She was a little stupid sometimes. Sakura rung the doorbell twice but still no one answered.

Sakura sighed dejectedly but smiled, as if saying that she knew it all along that no one was going to answer. She turned from the door and hoisted her bag to her shoulder. Before moving any further, she heard the creak of the front door open and came face to face with a raven haired and coal black eyed man. Surprise was written all over his face.

--

* * *

Bright sunbeams bathed Sasuke's pale body; from his strong legs to his muscular six-pack torso, even to his angelic face. He lay curled up in his hammock by the beach, resting, while a cool glass of Bloody Mary sat under the balmy sun.

Somewhere in the hazy bliss of satisfaction, Sasuke heard a knock on the door. He decided to ignore it and let his senses indulge in the soothing crash of the waves and the mild caress of the wind. He heard the doorbell next and got up, his toes dug deep in the hot sand. His girlfriend (meaning the hussy he dragged to his bed for the week) was coming that day and he figured it was probably her. He thought it strange that she was here this early since she wasn't supposed to be there until the afternoon.

He groaned as he reached the sala de recibo, the parlor. Due to work, he never really had any breaks from the power hungry grasp of the corporate world. This weekend was one of the rare times that he set aside for himself.

Reaching for the doorknob, he didn't even had the chance to breathe in as the oxygen in his system got knocked out because of the shock. Opening the door, he saw long pink tresses blowing in the wind. Ever so slowly, the person owning the pink locks turned around and revealed breathtaking green irises that had brightened his days years before.

He figured his face was still contorted in that way a stunned people do and that he still hadn't said a word because she smiled at him. In truth, it was because she was shy that she was at his doorstep without any notice; also because after years of not seeing the Uchiha, it was funny seeing his face like that, half dressed and all.

Putting a hand on the doorframe then leaning against it, Sasuke called out her name as he was shaken from his stupor by memories of pink hair mingling with his, wide bottle green eyes, and cherry lips.

"Sakura…"

--

* * *

"So… Are you going to let me in or not?" she figured there was no harm in asking since he was just standing there. He blushed a little and led her into the kitchenette for a seat and a drink.

"Which would it be? Lemonade or tea?" he asked her, but then he knew she was going to say lemonade so he went ahead and took a pitcher of it from the fridge. The only sound that could be heard was the flow of liquid from the pitcher to the glass. It was still a little bit tense as both of them tried to start conversation.

"So what brought you here?" Sasuke asked, carefully taking note of the huge bag she had with her. Sakura faltered and sweatdropped for a while.

'_Damn, didn't really think this one through.'_

She quickly thought of a lie to tell him. "Ah, well you see… I'm here for… work! Yeah, that's it work! I came here to photograph the Matsuri Parade here in Okinawa."

Sakura remembered that she still had her camera strapped around her neck and showed it to him.

"So you're a photographer now are you?"

"Hai. Freelance actually."

After that, they both brought their gazes down to the floor again. The atmosphere was back to being tense again. How do you start conversation with your ex-boyfriend whom you haven't seen in years? The sun's light filtered through the large glass window that adorned the kitchen to their awkward faces.

"So… What's the bag for?" Sasuke cursed himself inwardly. It wasn't like him to be speechless, much less in front of a woman. Sakura on the other hand, nearly choked on her lemonade. She really expected for Sasuke not to be there, but lo and behold, the handsome god was here.

"W-well, you see… I was w-wondering if I c-c—"

"Spit it out." He realized he had said it rather harshly and apologized. He was so used to his subordinates stammering whenever they talked to him.

"IwaswonderingifIcouldstayhereforawhile?!" she said a little too fast.

Sasuke arched an eyebrow. "Sorry, I didn't quite get that." (I'd say it was the Cho Chang Style but that's too wrong…)

Sakura's cheeks were burning bright red with embarrassment. What right had she to suddenly impose this on him? A little slowly now…

"I was wondering if I could stay here for a while. At least, until after my work is finished."

She sighed a little when he didn't answer. She could feel his eyes in her, but he wasn't glaring.

"It's okay. I can just find a hotel in town—"

"No...!" he was a little embarrassed because he _almost_ sounded pleading, "You can stay. It's okay…"

Sakura couldn't hide the smile on her lips. This day was full of surprises. She chuckled a little before tackling him with a hug. "Thanks a lot Sasuke!" Said man uneasily wrapped his arms around Sakura slim waist, it was calmingly familiar.

Sasuke led her up the stairs to the second floor where the bedrooms were, the sounds of their feet connecting with the stone stairs rebounding across the silence of the house. He stopped by the door leading to the guest bedroom, and so did she. They stared at each other for a while, adjusting four years of past memory. Sakura smiled at him, just like she did before.

"Uh, thanks again Sasuke…"

"Hn"

Sakura entered the room; and only when he had heard the faint click of the lock did he dare to breath normally again. He still didn't believe what had just happened. He stood outside her room for a quite a while, taking in the image of the pink haired woman who magically arrived at his doorstep and compared it to the pink haired girl he used to date in college.

Sasuke went downstairs and sat back on the hammock. He looked at his hand, speckled with fragments of sunlight, before ramming it through his hair. He let out a frustrated groan and reached for the Bloody Mary he left.

Sasuke took a gulp to calm his nerves, and then grimaced.

"It's warm."

--

* * *

The sky was orange.

That was the first thing Haruno Sakura noticed when she woke up from her little nap. Rising up from the covers of the bed, she looked outside the window to see a bright ball of fire descending down the sea. With half-lidded eyes, she looked around her, silently wondering why she wasn't in her room.

'_Oh right… I'm in Sasuke's place."_

Making up her mind to get up, she slipped out of the covers and put on her white flowery sandals. She looked around for her purse and found it on the stand near the bed.

'_Maybe I should go to the grocery or something…'_

Going down the stairs Sakura noticed that all the lights were turned off. She couldn't find Sasuke and figured that he was sleeping up in his room so she though she would just write a note to say that she left.

As she was searching for a piece of paper on her purse, she heard light footsteps approaching her.

"Where are you going?" That staccato voice sent shivers down her spine. Even more so when she realized that the salient man was only inches away from her. She blushed as she felt Sasuke's arm encircle her waist.

Sakura immediately bolted out of his grasp. She knew all too well that a smirk was forming on his mouth, and sure enough when she faced him, there it was.

"I was th-thinking that I should g-go to the grocery store. You know, to buy some stuff." She said all too rushed.

He advanced towards here and she soon found herself being backed too the wall. He raised his eyebrow.

"Oh really? Do you even know where the store is?"

"Ah, well not really…" she averted her eyes from his smoldering gaze. What is it with him right now?

She gasped when she felt her back collide with the wall. He seemed to be expecting this and put his face near hers. His lips were inches away from hers, she noticed. Her only means of escape were blocked by his two strong arms on either side of her head.

So close

Nearly there

"Then I'm gonna have to come with you then, won't I?"

Then just as fast as he came, he was gone. Sakura slapped cheeks lightly to get rid of the blush on her face. Seriously, what was she getting herself worked up on?

Sasuke no longer harbored any feelings for her, right?

And besides, she was getting married already.

She sighed and followed him out the house. Sasuke tossed her a black helmet, and as if sensing her confusion, he pointed at the black motorcycle in the garage. Her mouth formed a small 'o' shape as she recognized the contraption.

"You still have it?" she asked him. Her reply was a simple nod.

The black motorcycle was the same one Sasuke used before in college. He reasoned that it was easier to get around places with a motorcycle. It was also the same one that they used during their dates.

Sasuke straddled the motorcycle and Sakura followed suit. She wrapped her arms around Sasuke's torso so she wouldn't fall off as Sasuke started the engine in sped off without any further word. Sakura pressed the side of her head on Sasuke's back and closed her eyes, enjoying the wind flying against them. They both produced a small smile, though unbeknownst to them, and thought…

'_Just like old times'_

_--_

* * *

"Oh come on, Sasuke. Don't tell me you came with me just for the hell of it. I could've found the place easily ya' know?"

Upon reaching the nearest convenience store, Sakura decided to start conversation to relieve the tension. The quietness was stifling her and she never was a fan of the word 'quiet.' It gave the feeling of loneliness.

"Hn"

Ah, the universal reply for anything, patented by the Uchihas. Sakura smirked, some things never changed. She continued to prod his back with her index finger, trying to annoy the answer from him. It worked countless of time against the universal Uchiha reply, and she was proud that she patented it herself, none other than Haruno Sakura.

A few more seconds of poking, Sasuke finally reached his limit. He turned around and grabbed her wrist so she would stop.

"All right, stop it already! I came here to buy grocery for dinner later."

Sakura's eyes widened. She didn't know Sasuke could cook.

"That's gonna be a sight to behold. The great Uchiha Sasuke, cooking. If only the fangirls could see you now."

Sasuke grimaced, another memory of their past. Back in college, he was constantly hounded by lovesick fangirls who kissed the ground he walked on. Not being conceited, but he chalked it all up to the Uchiha charm.

"Yeah well, you're horrible cooking from before forced me to learn how to cook lest I die." Back before, she was the one who used to cook for them. Sure she wasn't that good, but at least it was edible.

She gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. "You're still a jerk."

He smirked. "Hn. You're still annoying."

When they got to the frozen food section, Sasuke took a huge packet of skewered ribs and placed it along the other food in the basket. He had to scowl on this one as he reviewed the things that Sakura had put into the basket. There were yogurts, jam filled breads, and a tub of ice cream. He looked at her slim waist, and yet she doesn't even get fat.

Lining up for the counter, Sakura looked at Sasuke's back. He was being a gentleman and took the full basket from her grasp and was holding it with only one arm. Sakura couldn't tell if he wanted to make a good impression or just show off. She chuckled and decided that it was probably both.

Sasuke did not fail to notice the sound that came from her lips and threw her a 'tell-me-what-you're-laughing-at-or-else' look. Sakura shook her head as if to say nothing.

After paying for the groceries, they exited the store and looked at the sky. The moon was nearly reigning over the sky.

"We should hurry up."

"Hai." They both got on the motorcycle and sped off too Sasuke's house.

--

* * *

By the time they got back, the stars were already up in the sky. Standing on the porch, Sasuke took the house keys and unlocked the door.

"Wow it's dark here. Don't you ever get scared?"

"I'm not easily scared like you Sakura."

"Jerk."

Sasuke put the two bags of grocery on the counter in the kitchenette.

"Sakura, can you open the lights." His tone was more of a command than a request. The fluorescent lights immediately opened and Sakura leaned her body on the counter. Sasuke started shuffling through the groceries and preparing dinner.

"Hey, you need help with that?"

"And risk getting poisoned? No thanks."

"Kami, I was only trying to help, you don't have to be a jerk about it."

Sasuke chuckled at her behavior, she was such a child. As Sakura went past him to go back to her room, she let out a gasped as he slapped her ass in a playful manner.

"Just go back up and let me wreak some havoc in the kitchen, all right? And wear something nice."

Sakura's face scrunched up in mock confusion. "Why?"

"Because."

"Just because?" she knew he was annoyed whenever people didn't do what he said the first time he said it. But who cares, she's not his lapdog, and she loves riling him up.

"Go up Sakura." This time in a more stern voice. Sakura giggled a little. "Yes mother."

Sasuke started preparing the ribs when he heard Sakura shuffle upstairs to her room. He smirked, his plan was working well. He decided to take advantage of what fate had abruptly dropped on his lap, the chance of bedding Haruno Sakura. Harsh, he knew, but it's a dog-eat-dog world out there and Uchiha Sasuke was not going to pass up this chance.

--

* * *

Sakura looked at the full-length mirror in her room. She was wearing a simple red and white evening dress. The empire silhouette with its high waistline accentuated her chest and her slim waist. Her pink locks were neatly curled and were bordering her face perfectly.

She smiled slightly then sighed. She looked at herself from side to side on the mirror, judging every corner. It will have to do. Sakura went down to the kitchen expecting to see Sasuke there. What she saw was darkness except for the soft glow of fire outside the backdoor.

She followed it and what she saw next she swore was taken from the page of the most romantic novel in the world. The dinner table was set up on the spacious patio overlooking the sea. The glow of light that she followed was actually the embers of fire from the candles giving light to the dark evening.

Sakura gasped both in surprise and in awe. Everything was so perfect. The food on the table was placed faultlessly and the sea breeze was neither cold nor hot.

Another image of flawlessness was the obsidian eyed man standing beside the perfect arrangement. He wasn't smiling, but hey, at least he wasn't his normally scowling face. That was a bonus in anybody's book.

Sasuke walked over to where Sakura was rooted. He smirked. Ha, score! He knew sappy romantic stuff like this would get any girl wide eyed.

He gave her the traditional 'up-and-down.' Nice., very nice. She didn't look to bad herself, he noticed. The beige off-shoulder chemise gave off the feeling of classy innocence while the dramatic red skirt that began down her chest to just inches above her knees gave him a _good_ look at her legs.

Sasuke didn't have to be a fashion critique to admit that Sakura looked gorgeous, especially with that pink blush forming on her cheeks.

'_I wonder if she'll blush even harder when I lead her up to my room…'_

Sasuke led her to the table helped her sit like a gentleman would, not like someone trying to romp with you. Her smile was still in place as she admired the entrée. Sasuke took the seat across her; she shyly lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Wow Sasuke. I didn't know you could cook like this." The amazement was still in her voice and in her eyes.

"You never asked."

Sakura smiled a little. Sasuke never was one to talk so bragging was not one of his favorite past time.

His hypnotizing voice brought her out of her reverie of the past. "So, shall we eat?"

Sakura nodded happily and took the knife and fork to eat.

--

* * *

It was amazing! Twenty minutes into the dinner and the tension magically vanished. They were their usual selves, Sakura talking non-stop and Sasuke _trying _to ignore her. Then again, that could've been the wine they were drinking.

"Hey Sasuke, remember, hic, when we were together… Do you still remember how Ino used to pine over you?"

Sasuke slammed his palm on his face for two reasons; one was he remembered that blond banshee, and second was that he _didn't_ remember how much of a drunk Sakura could be. I mean how could you forget that about your ex?

"Hn"

"Yeah well, hic, she's married now. Do you know who?"

"I couldn't imagine." Well it was true; anyone willing to marry that blond was either forced or deaf.

"Shi-shikamaru married her. Who would have thought he could work up the energy, right?"

Sasuke remembered how those two were always together anyway. He remembered Ino making shikamaru all the dirty work. He looked at Sakura again; she was now standing up on her chair with a glass of wine in hand. He smirked, maybe if he was lucky, he could get a strip show out of this.

After a very hard talk with his conscience (he had one?), he decided it was not right. Besides he wanted her in his room.

"Sakura, come down will you."

"Aw, Sasuke is such a party pooper." She pouted sexily. Sasuke gulped in the lodge in his throat, he was trying not to jump her now. 'Self control, self control,' he repeated in his head over and over again like a mantra.

Sakura giggled and agreed to go down. Stumbling up the stairs, Sasuke led her to upstairs. For some reason, he decided to escort Sakura to her room. He sighed; things weren't turning out the way he planned.

They stopped when they reached her room's door. She leaned on the door and encircled her arms around his neck. Once again, their faces were so near; their lips were only inches apart.

"Thanks for the wonderful dinner Sasuke."

"Hn, you're too drunk too even remember anything." His hands went down to her waist. She slapped him lightly on the shoulder in retaliation to his comment. He could smell the intoxicating wine on her.

Sasuke let go of her and so did she. But before he could go, he felt a small hand grip his wrist. He looked at her and they locked gazes. He drew near her, just enough so he could properly see her in the dark.

His eyes widened when he saw Sakura approach her. When she was directly in front of him, she stood on her tippy-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Good night, Sasuke-kun." She said in her melodic breathy voice, and then went in her room.

Sasuke just stood there, dumbfounded. He was still staring wide-eyed on where she was just moments ago. He brought his hand to where she kissed him… She called him, Sasuke-kun…

He walked back to his room, the moonlight from the window made his skin paler. Sasuke smiled, and he noticed that he seemed to be doing that more often since this morning…

--

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Yes, finally over! I just finished work (summer job) and did this in a hurry. I had to bail on fanfiction for a while 'cause work was annoying, and because I need to concentrate. Hey, at least it earns me money, right?

**So there you go. Was it fluffy enough? I really don't know. My brain just racked up what it could. By the way, tell me if there's any wrong grammar or spelling. LOL, I'm such a martinet for grammar.**

**Review if you don't understand something about the story. Or just review if you like it, just a small, 'hey, nice work' or 'what the hell were you thinking' to let me know that you actually read this thing. Thenx **


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